1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a mount for panel-shaped components as defined in the preamble of claim 1.
The mount according to the invention can be utilized, in essentially any desired manner, for all kinds of panel-shaped components, for example wooden panels, light alloy panels, plastic panels, or the like, be they single-layer or multiple-layer plate elements such as sandwich structures, especially when it is important to mount the plate-shaped components substantially without bending torques. Preferably, however, the application area is made of glass panels, in particular in the construction sector, which because of their structure are particularly susceptible to breakage if bending torques occur.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
EP 0 201 212 B1 discloses a mount of this type in which mounting of the structural element occurs by means of a ball-joint stud which is rotatably mounted in a sleeve-like component that can be fastened in clamped fashion to the structural element, the ball joint being arranged so that its center point lies in the center plane of the panel-shaped structural element. Although this known mount is substantially free of bending torques, production of the mount is complex, since the ball must be pressed into the sleeve. A further disadvantage of this known mount is that because of the position of the ball joint in the opening, the latter must necessarily have a relatively large diameter.
French patent application FR-A-92 06 453 discloses a mount that corresponds substantially to the mount according to EP 0 201 212 B1, although the ball socket is split so as to facilitate assembly of the ball joint. The two parts of the ball socket are welded after assembly. A further particular disadvantage with this known mount, however, is the fact that the weld seam is arranged in the region of the opening in the panel-shaped component, i.e. in a region with elevated accuracy requirements. This generally requires that an accurate, exclusively recessed weld seam be produced, or that the weld seam region be reworked.
Also known, from DE 39 27 65353 C2, is a mount for mounting glass panels without bending torques, in which the ball joint is located outside the region of the glass panel. Here again, however, the ball joint connection is produced in a complex fashion, by pressing the ball into the socket.